


Iatrophobia

by Mojoslip



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Awesome Sally Donovan, Doctor John Watson, Gen, John Watson is a Good Doctor, John Watson is a Good Friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29919213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mojoslip/pseuds/Mojoslip
Summary: Ever since Sally was a kid she’d been afraid of the doctor, that all changes when she has an appointment with Doctor John Watson.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	Iatrophobia

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like Sally gets bad rep in most fics, she has real potential to be a nice person :)

Ever since Sally was young she had been afraid of going to the doctor and the hospital. As with every phobia there's a root to the problem, a childhood trauma that enables this fear.When Sally was six years old she had to get a malaria shot before she went on holiday with her family. Before that she had no problem with going to the doctor, every time they would take care of her and give her a sticker and a lollipop at the end. 

When Sally went to the doctor's to get her jab she was calm and collected, she never even had a fear of needles until the fatal moment when the doctor jabbed it in her arm and it got stuck. The needle stood upright in her forearm as blood trickled down. She instantly screamed and ordered for it to be taken out. She flailed until they calmed her and managed to remove it.It hurt immensely and the sight of the needle inside her scarred her.

Ever since, Sally has been afraid of any sort of medical check up. Especially those that involved needing to get jabbed. The mess up of her childhood doctor enabled a fear of the entire practice which she carried with her throughout the whole of her life. Sally ensured that she rarely ever got sick so she wouldn't need to go to the doctor. Whenever she was in need of a shot she would have panic attacks in the office and cry. 

As a police officer who works with Sherlock Holmes, she often had to go to the doctor for several reasons. The doctor she had would always pull a face when she told him the inane story of the reason for her doctoral visit. He would even scowl when she started whimpering as he injected her with fluids or withdrew blood. Dr. Grayson was cold hearted and stubborn, he berated her for crying over an injection. She was a grown woman after all. Sally informed Dr. Grayson about her irrational fear a few appointments into their professional relationship and he told her there was nothing to worry about. Obviously that didn't alleviate her fears. Every time she would be frightened and she'd curse Sherlock for being so reckless whilst working.One too many times she got a victim's blood on her, or she got stabbed, bitten, scratched - you name it. Nine times out of ten it would be the detective's fault one way or another. 

NSY had just solved a peculiar crime with the help of Sherlock. They captured rabid rabbits - Anderson put them in their cages and loaded them onto the evidence van. She followed him to the van, stepped inside and was stopped on her feet when she heard an all too familiar baritone coming their way."Anderson don't be an idiot and make sure you close the hutches", he scowled.

"I'm not an idiot, freak", Anderson spat and turned back into the van to ensure the cages where in fact closed. To his surprise they weren't. As he went to lock it one of the rabbits leaped out and clasped onto Sally and gnawed on her lower arm."What the fuck!?", she shrieked and out of reflex pushed the rabbit off her which landed on the floor."You are so incompetent, Anderson. Do make sure your mistress doesn't get infected. They are rabid rabbits after all", Sherlock sighed and turned on heels to walk away, "Laters", he called out and made his way to Lestrade.

"Phillip what the hell, get the rabbit", Sally cried and leapt out of the van. Her arm was bleeding from the bite mark but not profusely. She took her phone out and called her GP to see if he could schedule her in for an emergency appointment. She knew she would have to get the mark checked out, the hospital was daunting so the GP it was. After a few moments on the phone confirming a time, Anderson hopped out of the van to join her."Shit, Sal. You alright?".

"Am I alright? You tell me Phillip. You left the cage open and a fucking mutated rabbit bit me!", she yelled at him."It was the freaks fault, he's always distracting me. Idiot is always so rude".

Sally scoffed, "For once it actually wasn't Sherlock's fault. The man reminded you to close the hutches".

"What so you're taking the freaks side?", he snarled. She sighed, "God Phillip. After all this time you're still calling him a freak? Just let it go?".

"He knows I'm kidding. It's a term of endearment. I apologised when he returned you know", Phillip shuffled his feet and looked down at them. "I did apologise. After everything with the fall and all of the shit after I realised it was shitty but sometimes it just comes out", he said quietly.

"Just - ugh. I'm gonna go. I managed to get an appointment with my doctor", Sally sighed and nodded off to the main street. She loved Phillip but sometimes when she called Sherlock a freak it angered her. After everything they've seen that man go through, from faking his death to watching the love of his life get married to someone else then the whole ordeal with Magnussun, John's wife dying and then Eurus. The man had been through too much to be called a freak. He had a family now even. A very dysfunctional family though. Him and John finally got their heads out of their behinds and confessed their love for one another. She was pretty sure they were engaged now plus raising little Rosie together. With that quaint thought in her mind she got in the cab to the doctor.

"Sally Donovan, emergency appointment with Dr. Grayson. I called an hour ago", she said to the receptionist. "Dr. Grayson did you say? I'm afraid he had a family emergency and left about ten minutes ago. What seems to be the problem?", the lady asked.

"I got bit by a rabbit during work. It's confidential as I work with the police so I can't disclose much but I know there's a chance of it being infected".The receptionists eyes widened, "Oh gosh right. Why haven't you gone to A and E ?".

"I have a shift later on. A and E would take too long that's why I called for an emergency appointment with Dr. Grayson".

"Right of course. Dr. Grayson is your appointed GP", she asked. Sally nodded. "Okay I can see which of my doctors have an opening right now and you can see them if you're comfortable with that?". Sally hesitated. The thought of being humiliated in front of a doctor at a GP was less frightening than at the hospital so she agreed and took her seat in the waiting room. She feared this doctor would make fun of her much like Dr. Grayson. She couldn't control her fear and the anxiety of meeting a new doctor just added to the tears she could feel brimming in her eyes.

After ten minutes the receptionist who she learned was Dr. Sawyer motioned her way over to her."Hello Sally, nobody is free at the moment apart from one doctor who is on his lunch break but he said he would be fine with having a look at you".

"Oh? Are you sure, I'm sure he'd want his lunch", she said with confusion. To her surprise, Dr. Sawyer chuckled."Oh not at all. Doc is always sprinting off somewhere or doing something during his lunch break. He doesn't mind. Doc's in room three just along the corridor", she pointed to said corridor and gave her thanks to Dr. Sawyer. 

Sally hovered at the door and hesitantly lifted her hand to knock. God - this was silly. She took a deep breath in and knocked. "Come in", a cheery voice called. She opened the door and was met with a blonde man in a lab coat and black specks, typing at his computer. At the sound of the door opening he turned his face to meet her eyes and it was none other than Dr. John Watson.

"Dr. Watson", she murmured. John nervously chuckled, "Oh Sergeant Donovan. I didn't realise you were my patient. Please take a seat if your comfortable if not you can wait until another doctor is available".

"No I- it's okay", she stammered and sat in the patients chair. "Right okay then. I only ask because we have a relationship outside of the practice so you may not be comfortable. Are you comfortable with this?", he asked in his doctor voice. "Yeah", she cleared her throat. "Yeah it's fine". He gave her a small smile and whilst he put on his gloves and adjusted his stethoscope she briefly glanced around his office. On one of the walls was a drawing which was clearly of Sherlock, John and Rosie. Her lips turned slightly and John caught on and followed her line of sight.

"Hmm Rosie is quiet the artist", he smiled a little.

"She got Sherlock's coat spot on", Sally added quietly.John chuckled lightly then once his gloves were adjusted she saw the shift in his demeanour."How may I help you today?", he asked.

"Um so you know the case with those luminous rabbits?", she asked and he nodded. "Well Phillip didn't close the hutches - we managed to catch them with the help of Sherlock obviously".

"And I'm guessing a rabbit bit you because Anderson didn't close the hutches properly?", he finished. Sally withdrew her sleeve to show the bite mark."Do you mind if I take a look?", he asked gently which surprisingly calmed her nerves a little. She nodded and John tentatively held her forearm to inspect the bite mark. After a few looks with a torch and other medical equipment she didn't know the name of John got up and changed his gloves, washed his hands then put a new set on.

"So it doesn't seem infected. I'm just going to clean it up for you and bandage it. Does it hurt at all? Any pain?".

"Yeah uh it hurts a bit", she said meekly still trying to keep her nerves at bay.

"I can prescribe you some pain medication. Are you allergic to anything? I didn't get a chance to look at your file, I didn't know who my patient was".

"Uh don't worry about it but yeah uh no I don't have an allergies", she stammered as John cleaned the wound and applied bandages around her arm."Excellent I'll prescribe you something, just need to finish this", he carefully wrapped the bandages ensuring he didn't inflict anymore pain onto her. Once he was done he turned to his computer whilst Sally inspected his handiwork. He typed up a few things whilst they sat in silence. After a few moments he got up and retrieved a needle and what looked like a test tube. Sally instantly tensed at the sight of it."What's the needle for?", she asked anxiously. 

John sat back down in front of her and scooted a little closer then gave her a small smile. "Just need to take some blood to test if anything got caught in your bloodstream. I doubt it though".

"Do you really have to? I mean you said you doubt it and it wasn't infected.", she rushed out trying to think of excuses for the needle to not go into her arm. "It's standard procedure. The rabbits were injected with some sort of chemical so there's a small chance that through the bite that same chemical has entered your bloodstream. It'll be over before you know it", he gave her a reassuring smile and started prepping the needle.

As he began holding her arm he started talking to her asking her questions, "So Sally are you on shift later? Sherlock and I are heading down to the yard around 6", he told her as he cleaned her arm."Uh yeah I am on shift later. I'm actually on shift right now, shit I didn't tell Lestrade I was going", she fumbled and looked down at her arm where John was holding the needle over."Mmm don't worry about it, Sally. I'll talk to your boss", he told her.

"You do know my boss is Greg, as in Greg Lestrade", she said.

"Of course I know your boss is Greg, silly. I'll tell him what happened and give him a doctor's note. I am a doctor you know, and only a fool argues with a doctor", he grinned and Sally laughed. John took the opportunity of laughter and injected the needle into her arm then quickly withdrew the blood. Sally felt a small prick on her arm then before she knew it the blood was out and John was placing a small piece of cotton wool on her arm."All done", he said cheerily.

"I- that was quick", she remarked.

"I told you it would be over before you know it", he got up and removed his gloves, washed his hands then tapped away on his computer. Sally sat there, flabbergasted. She didn't feel any fear, it wasn't even scary when the needle went into her. She didn't even realise it had happened until it was over.

"So I'll prescribe you with some painkillers for the pain. Make sure you change the bandage on your arm before you sleep. Your blood test results should be ready in a few hours so if you want I'll give them to you at the Yard later?".

"Yeah that's fine", she replied.

"Excellent. Also if you feel any of the following symptoms: nausea, fatigue, dizziness. Please go to A and E or contact your GP. Dr. Grayson should be back tomorrow. Any questions?".

Sally fidgeted in her seat. "Uh yeah actually. I have um a question", she said quietly.

"Okay, what is it?", he asked sweetly.

"I was wondering if it's possible to um switch doctor's. I'd like you to be my designated doctor", she said and flushed from embarrassment.

"Oh? Really? Are you sure? What's wrong with Dr. Grayson?", he enquired, obviously quite puzzled by Sally's question."Um. Everything is confidential right?", she asked.

"Of course", he replied.

"Right so it's just. Ever since I was young I have been frightened of the doctor. Especially needles. When I became Dr. Grayson's patient he was just so dismissive of my fear and god John every time I come here I hate it", she started crying, "He's so horrible to me and I can't help it. I can't help being scared and I know it's silly-"

"-Oh Sally, it's not silly at all. It's quite common to be scared of the doctor's and even more common to be scared of needles. But honestly though there's nothing to be afraid of however I agree Dr. Grayson is a bit of a dick", John said. Sally nervously chuckled at the last comment, "Yeah he is a bit of a dick". John passed her a tissue and she graciously accepted it and wiped away her tears.

"What I'm trying to ask is if it's alright would you be my doctor? It's just with you I didn't feel scared and it was actually okay. You're a good doctor, John", she said and smiled a little.

"Thank you. Would it make you comfortable if I was your doctor? As your doctor I would have access to all of your medical history including any sexual concerns. Of course the information would only remain between the two of us but we have a professional/personal relationship so I'm not sure if that would be okay with you", he said with his doctor voice.

"No, Dr. Watson. Please could you be my doctor it would make me feel comfortable. You don't understand this is the first time I haven't had a panic attack because of a needle since I was 5", she said hurriedly.

"Wow, really?".

"Yeah. And as for the medical shit I don't really care. You're a doctor so it's fine. A good doctor, I've seen how you patch up Sherlock". John smiled at that and tapped his pen on his desk, "Okay yeah, I'll be your doctor"."Thank you so much, honestly", she sighed in relief.

"No problem", he opened his desk draw. "Would you like a lollipop?". 

Sally chuckled, "Yes, please".

"Which flavour? Apple or cola?", he grinned and held them both up. "Apple, please", she grinned back and took the lollipop.

"So I'll get the switch done. The next time you have an appointment it will be with me unless there's some sort of emergency-"

"Like Sherlock chasing after a criminal", she interjected."Yeah basically", he smiled fondly.

"I don't think I've said it but uh congratulations you two. You deserve each other", she said.

"Thank you", he cleared his throat, "So just head to your local pharmacy for the pills and I'll bring by your blood results later on. Don't worry too much, it's very unlikely anything has happened".

"Okay, thank you doctor", she said as she stood.

"No problem, Sergeant", he replied.

"I'll see you later then", she quipped.

"See you later", he called back and she left.


End file.
